It’s taken a long time. But R Kelly will finally see the inside of a jail cell. The R&B megastar was sentenced to 30 years in prison on Wednesday.

Kelly’s conviction for racketeering and sex trafficking crimes was handed down after more than three decades of attempts to take down the 55-year-old, with the first major story about his crimes emerging way back in 1996 – although the case was settled out of court. He was acquitted of child pornography charges by a seemingly star-struck jury in 2008, despite compelling evidence. He continued to produce music and go on tours, while collaborating with prominent artists like Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber, Jennifer Hudson, Phoenix and Chance The Rapper (who all later apologised). Journalists continued exposing even more brazen acts of abuse and assault. 

It took years for the climate to change enough for Kelly to face justice. In 2017 the #MeToo movement blew up, leading to sexual assault accusations against several high profile personalities, such as Bill Cosby, Harvey Weinstein, Bill O’Reilly, and Kevin Spacey. In 2019, the “Surviving R Kelly” documentary was released, swaying public opinion to almost universally condemn Kelly – prompting the #MuteRKelly movement. Stars like Ne-Yo, Vic Mensa and Omarion were among many to publicly condemn Kelly. And finally, Kelly has been handed down a lengthy sentence (he’ll be 85 when the sentence ends – if he isn’t paroled at an earlier date.)

The day before Kelly’s sentencing, Ghislaine Maxwell was sentenced to 20 years in prison for her complicity in the recruitment and trafficking of teenage girls for Jeffrey Epstein. Bill Cosby, however, was released from prison earlier this month, which has caused outrage, considering that more than 50 women came forward with accusations of sexual assault or rape. But Harvey Weinstein’s 23-year prison sentence was upheld and he will not be eligible for parole until 2040. Kevin Spacey still faces a court battle against four counts of sexual assault.

So, does this mean that we’ve finally reached a point where sexual assault, in all contexts, is taken as seriously as it should be? No. But we sure are a lot closer to that point than we were 10 years ago and those who have come forward should be commended for their bravery in the face of victim shaming.

There has certainly been a cultural shift towards opening conversations about sexual assault and treating it more seriously. In an ideal world, justice would be served in every case – and not just high-profile ones – but Kelly’s sentence (which was more than prosecutors asked for) is a sign that we are taking huge strides in the right direction.